Comfort, environmental sensitivity and livability were among the main driving principles behind this stellar design, which partially explains the use of natural materials that integrate so well with the surrounding landscape. The building has a larch frame, some larch cladding on the minor building block, and a Corten Steel shell. Local craftsmen completed the steel roof using the crimping technique. Other elements were CNC-milled and the entire structure can be disassembled and recycled should the need arise.

A combination of 16 rooftop photovoltaic panels, a geothermal pump and a wood-fired stove provide energy and heating during winter months, which is complemented by extensive southern glazing that encourages winter sun to permeate the interior. In the summer, when it’s hot and muggy outside, passive design prohibits excess solar gain, and a custom LED lighting system supplements natural lighting with three different kinds of light that cool off the interior space during summer and warms it up during foggy winters.

The building produces all of its own energy, while the insulation made from 40,000 recycled plastic bottles ensures that none of it is wasted!